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Arsenal learned their route to the 2025 Champions League final on Friday, and Mikel Arteta's side may well have to run the gauntlet.
The Gunners avoided competing in their recent play-off round by virtue of their third-place finish in the league phase table. They progressed automatically into the round of 16, and we knew a tie against either PSV Eindhoven or Feyenoord was in the books after the Dutch sides respectively toppled Juventus and Milan in the play-offs.
A potential reunion with new Feyenoord boss Robin van Persie was a prospect many vengeful Gooners were keen to enjoy, but our hopes were dashed in Friday's draw.
Arsenal's confirmed route to the 2025 Champions League final
🚨 Confirmed: The Champions League round-of-16 ties & tournament tree. ✅🌟
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) February 21, 2025
Round-of-16: PSV
Quarter-final: Real Madrid/Atletico Madrid
Semi-final: PSG/Liverpool/Club Brugge/Aston Villa
📊 @beINSPORTS_EN pic.twitter.com/7WiNjl5tck
Arsenal were the first name out of their pot which meant we were placed on the silver side of the bracket, resulting in a round of 16 clash against PSV. The Gunners have faced the Dutch champions in back-to-back seasons, winning two of the four match-ups.
Peter Bosz's side were utterly dominant domestically last season, but they're currently chasing Ajax at the Eredivisie summit.
📊🤯 The last time PSV Eindhoven won a Champions League ‘Round of 16’ tie, was in 2007 vs Arsenal. 🗓️
— DailyAFC (@DailyAFC) February 21, 2025
The sides meet again this year… 👀😤 pic.twitter.com/MW4h03n9vj
However, we didn't only learn Arsenal's round of 16 opponents on Friday. UEFA also mapped out every team's path to the final in Munich on 31 May 2025.
If Arsenal overcome PSV next month, a quarter-final tie with either Real or Atletico Madrid beckons. The draw didn't do us any favours, with the Madrid club benefitting from playing the second leg at home. Victory in the last eight will set up a semi-final clash with either PSG, Liverpool, Club Brugge or Aston Villa.
Premier League title rivals Liverpool are facing the red-hot PSG in the round of 16, which could benefit us domestically, while Villa take on Brugge again.
It's a tough run, no doubt, but such occasions should be relished. This is a team which gained great experience during their continental journey last season and must embrace any potential future tie with a European behemoth. Just imagine going to the Bernabeu with a spot in the semi-finals at stake. Oof.
But first: PSV.